Mommy Kahdib

Dear Emerson (44 months),

Friday, February 12, 2010

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Dear Emmie-Nemmers,

I was going to write this letter yesterday but it was a strange day...you had a fun Valentine's party at preschool where you put your cards in everyone's bag and made some cookies that you got to have for snack, but when I picked you up you were sad. You were sad that I wasn't there yet and thought I wasn't coming. You're not usually sad after preschool but I chalked it up to you thinking you had to stay for stay and play like you did two weeks ago...but you assured me that day that you had really liked stay and play, much better than bringing Chase to the doctors which is where I had to go...so we came home and you didn't eat much lunch and I chalked that up to you really wanting to have the lollipop that was in your Valentine's bag...then when you fell asleep on the couch I didn't really have anything left to chalk it up to except that you were probably sick. You woke up with a fever...so throw all that chalk out the window.

Let me tell you about sick Emmie. She doesn't want to admit that she is sick. You didn't want me to check you temp because, well, if you had one that meant you were sick. You did have one and I told you you did and you cried that you just didn't want it. I explained that sometimes we get fevers and it just means our body is working hard to get rid of some kind if virus...you were generally whiny and miserable and didn't eat much dinner and really just wanted to be held. I suggested that perhaps some Tylenol before bed might make you feel better but that my child was the last straw for you....it meant you were admitting defeat...that you were, in fact, sick, and, to be honest, you DIDN'T want to be sick. I tried to ask you if something was bothering you....your ears? NO! Your throat? NO! Your tummy? NO! NO! NO! You insisted you didn't have the pukey bug, that you didn't have the sniffles and that you didn't want that fever so you WEREN'T GOING TO THE DOCTORS! Ahhh...the root of the problem. You didn't want to go and see our oh-so-nice, sweet-as-pie, doctor W. I assured you that you didn't have to go and see her unless you had the fever for a while and it wasn't going away on its own or it was getting much worse...and you assured me that it wouldn't last for long. Sigh. You came into our bed around 1am and snuggled your hot little body next to mine and slept like a little log. Today you're still warm but insist that nothing is bothering you...your will power is crazy. You did admit that maybe you throat feels a bit funny and then ate an Italian ice...but again, I can't figure out if you told me your throat felt funny because it does or because you wanted the treat...my complicated little girl it would be must easier if you could just tell me what is going on...but for now I'll play detective.

So, this month. We had a good month! You haven't been sick except for now. You are loving preschool. You are loving your brother 90% of the day which is pretty awesome...and the other 10% when you two argue it's in a pretty amusing way. He yells, "LALA!!!" and you scream even louder, "THAT HURTS MY EARS!" and he thinks it is a game so he yells louder than you which is NOT the reaction that you want....so you yell even LOUDER! I keep explaining to you that if you ask him quietly or ignore his first scream he won't think you're playing with him....but it's a button for you and man does he like to push it. On a good note, you're both really good at sharing lately and will calmly ask the other for a turn when they're done...and you're also having fun finding something you know he would like to trade for. So say he is playing with one of your dolls and you go find him his motorcycle he will gladly give you the doll. You get so excited everytime it works, and when it doesn't you're determined to find something that will.

I had a special helper day at preschool this month as well and you're always so proud to show me what you do in class. You get a bit mad that the teachers have things they need me to help with because that means you don't have 110% of my attention, but we manage. When your mom is the helper for the day you're the "special person" and you get to lead the line and pick the song stick at circle time....and the mom gets to bring the snack. We brought bananas, oranges and some goldfish...the next time you went to class someone brought carrot and man, you hate carrots. When I asked you what was for snack you had this look of disgust, "Carrots, mom, wasn't that a bad snack idea?"

You love arts and crafts...painting, gluing, cutting, stamping, folding, drawing, coloring, etc. We had a really fun afternoon making Valentines for your classmates and you signed your name on each and everyone! Youalso live in a land of make believe lately and to listen to the things that come out of your mouth while playing is so fun! You sing songs about what the animals are thinking and make them all talk to each other. You love to dress yourself and pick out what you're wearing and you are very very into short sleeves...somedays you put on shorts and short sleeves and assure me that we don't have to leave the house that day because, well, it's freezing and snowy here!

Funny Emmie story of the month...I was making Chicken and Dumplings one night for the first time and you said, "Oh, mom, I LOVE dumplings." Knowing full well that you had never had them I must have looked at you a bit funny so you said, "Have I had them before? Maybe when we went to China I had them, did I?" I assured you that we hadn't been to China and then you asked, "How many miles away is China?" so I told you thousands and you said, "Is that further away than God?" So cute! Time, space, the lines are blurred when you are only three and a half.

You're always learning...I can see the wheels in the head of yours constantly spinning! Can't wait for the next month with you!

Love you!

Mommy